| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The adversative aval {אֲבָל | ʾă-val} ‘but’ introduces contrast with the preceding judgment. The noun-adjective pair devarim tovim {דְּבָרִים טוֹבִים | də-vā-rîm ṭō-vîm} ‘good things’ is foregrounded by the Niphal perfect nimtse'u {נִמְצְא֣וּ | nim-tse-ʾû} ‘have been found’. The prepositional phrase immakh {עִמָּךְ | ʿim-makh} ‘with you’ specifies the locus of praise. The conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} introduces the reason clause, led by the Piel perfect biarta {בִעַ֤רְתָּ | bi-ʿăr-tā} ‘you removed’ and its object ha-asherot {הָאֲשֵׁרוֹת | hā-ʾă-šê-rôṯ} ‘the Asherah poles’ with scope marked by min-ha-aretz {מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ | min-hā-ʾā-reṣ}. The vav consecutive in vahachinota {וַהֲכִינ֥וֹתָ | wa-hă-kī-nō-ṯā} links the subsequent volitional act, and the infinitive lidrosh {לִדְרֹשׁ | li-ḏrôš} ‘to seek’ denotes purpose toward ha-Elohim {הָאֱלֹהִים | hā-ʾĕ-lō-hîm}. |